John Clarke Maurer
John Maurer Obituary
Maurer, John Clarke
1/4/1935-4/13/2025
Whitmore Lake, MI
John passed peacefully in his sleep at the age of 90. A celebrated engineer, respected pilot, champion sailor and wonderful friend, John leaves a remarkable and memorable legacy. Born in South Bend, IN to Harold and Norma (Clarke) Maurer, John graduated from Adams High School in South Bend in 1953. He was an active and talented young man earning Eagle Scout status and being an excellent swimmer and water skier. John loved lake living, both at the family’s vacation home on Lake Wawasee in Indiana and his home on Whitmore Lake.
John began his university education at Brigham Young. He transferred to the University of Michigan, where he graduated in 1957. John joined the Space Physics Research Laboratory (SPRL) in the College of Engineering as a student and then as an engineer. John’s 55-year career at SPRL spanned the first days of the space age into the Mars rover era. He was not only a brilliant system engineer and design engineer but also a generous teacher and mentor to the many engineers who worked for him. John’s legacy is larger than life at SPRL, a special place imprinted by his overwhelming energy, creative ideas, strong personality, and wonderful designs. The University, SPRL, NASA and the engineering profession are all truly in his debt.
John was an engineer in every aspect of his life, owning practically every toy that a person can accumulate in a single lifetime. He owned part of Cedros Island in Costa Rica, bulldozers, boats, and planes, as well as model trains. Remarkably, and most importantly, John openly shared his life with all those around him, a trait to be cherished and embraced. Loyal, honest, generous and talented beyond measure, he was loved by all and will be deeply missed.
John is survived by his loving wife Susan Christensen, sister Su Pardo, stepchildren Elizabeth Copp (Chris Passeri) and Jeffrey (Tiffany) Fortuna, grandchildren Maria Copp, Chase Patterson, Roczen Fortuna, and Maverick Fortuna, together with nieces Ninoshka Pardo and Vanessa (Daniel) De la Garza.
A memorial gathering will be held this summer with details to follow. In lieu of flowers, please plant a tree for John (he felt bad about those he had to cut down) or make a donation to SPRL, c/o U of M Development Office.
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